1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a transmission operating device for an automobile and more particularly for an automobile of the type wherein a control shaft of a transmission and a hand lever connected to the control shaft through a control rod are offset to each other as in a front-engine and front-wheel-drive car with an engine traversely arranged (which is referred to as "FF" car hereinafter).
2. Description of the Prior Art.
With an FF car with a traversely arranged engine and a transmission arranged in series therewith as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an axis 4 of a control shaft 3 for operating the transmission 2 is often greatly shifted traversely by an offset S from a center axis 5 of the car. It is usual to support a pivotal end 10 of a hand lever 8 on the center axis 5 by a rear end of a support rod 9 and to connect an extending end of the control shaft 3 and the lower end of the hand lever 8 through a universal joint 6 and a joint 15 by means of a control rod 7. Accordingly, when the hand lever 8 is operated to a selected position as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3, the hand lever is moved along an oblique path owing to the offset S as shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the movement of a knob 11 at the upper end of the hand lever 8, so that the position of the knob 11 is forwardly shifted by a distance .delta. from a traverse line 20 of the vehicle passing through the fulcrum 10 to cause an incongruous feeling of operation.